Mountain lion spotted near Passaic

Stock photo

There was a time when we thought we'd never see armadillos in the midwest and now they commonly seen. So the same could be true for mountain lions? Yes. And that's according to a growing number of folks around the area and the Missouri Department of Conservation.

A few years back there were two sightings, both near Miami school. The person that reported it said his eyesight was 'darned good'  and there was no mistaking what he saw. Add to that, now there have been at least two recent sightings near Passaic. The latest was about 3 miles west near county road 3001.

Naysayers will tell you it might have been a bobcat- however a mountain lion is often at least 3 to 5 times the size and has a long tail. Upon seeing one, there's really no mistaking what it is. Also, most of the ones reported in our area are black in color.

According the the Missouri Department of Conservation they have been known to roam in Missouri and there have been around 100 confirmed sightings in the Show Me State. Get more info on sightings here https://mdc.mo.gov/wildlife/report-wildlife-sightings/mountain-lion-reports/confirmed-mountain-lion-reports

Here's some more good reading that provides lots of details https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/mountain-lion

Some good news? They primarily eat deer, in fact a large cat will feast on upwards of 35 per year. They usually don't bother cattle, although there have been reports of such, but not confirmed locally. And like bobcats and a lot of other wildlife, they generally don't come near humans if they can avoid it. 

If you see one, we do recommend ample 'social distancing'.